Testing the Readiness of the PQC Standards for Practical Deployment
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan - KTH Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap, avdelningen för Elektronik och inbyggda system |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 1 000 000 |
| Project duration | April 2025 - April 2026 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | Regulation and cutting-edge technology |
| Call | Rules and instruments for cutting-edge technology |
Purpose and goal
Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) represents a paradigm shift addressing the threat posed by quantum computers to the public-key cryptosystems currently in use. As Sweden prepares to migrate to PQC standards, testing the readiness of PQC algorithms for practical deployment is both important and timely. This project aims to perform an in-depth evaluation of the side-channel and fault attack resistance of implementations of the PQC algorithms ML-KEM and ML-DSA standardized by NIST in August 2024.
Expected effects and result
The project is expected to provide recommendations for strengthening the implementations of NIST’s PQC standards ML-KEM and ML-DSA. Upon completion, a comprehensive report outlining identified vulnerabilities and proposing mitigation strategies will be produced. These results will support PQC adoption and may shape stricter implementation guidelines for PQC algorithms, ultimately improving the security of any digital system that will be protected by these algorithms in the future.
Planned approach and implementation
The project will be conducted at KTH by the PI and three PhD students. The initial phase will focus on selecting representative implementations of ML-KEM and ML-DSA, followed by the setup of a test environment. Subsequent stages will involve comprehensive side-channel and fault injection analyses to identify vulnerabilities in the implementations. The final phase will focus on designing countermeasures. The work will combine empirical analysis with prototyping on real-world target platforms.